Gun mounting



E. H. T. D'EYNCOURT AND F. SKEENS.

GUN MOUNTING.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 7. 1918.

1,402,467 Patented Jan. 3, 1922,

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

E. H. T. DEYNCOURT AND F. SKEENS.

GUN mouwnwe'.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 7. I9I8.

1 ,4;O2,407, Patented Jan. 3, 1922,

2 SHEET$-SHEET 2.

MMWXWWM UNITED EUSTACE HENRY TENNYSON DEYN COURT AND FREDERICK SKEENS, OF WHITEHALL, LONDON, ENGLAND.

GUN MOUNTING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 3, 1922.

Application filed June 7, 1918. Serial No. 238,661.

(GRANTED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF THE ACT OF MARCH 3, 1921, 41 STAT. It. 1313.)

T 0 all whom it nut-y concern:

Be it known that we, EUSTACE HENRY TENNYSON DEYNooUn'r and FREDERICK SxEENs, both subjects of the King of Great Britain, residing at the Admiralty, WVhitehall, in the county of London, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gun Mountings, of which the following is a. specification.

This invention consists of an improved com bined gun mounting, and protective shield, which while capable of being employed on any movable or stationary structure, is particularly applicable to armoured or armed cars, such as for example, those employed in overcoming heavy defence works used in trench warfare.

It has heretofore been proposed to mount a gun in a sphere which is pivoted in a step earing to rotate about a vertical axis, and which can roll on a suitable track about a horizontal axis, the sphere being arranged to move within an aperture in a fixed shield; also a gun has been trunnioned in a part spherical mounting which is arranged to rotate either about a horizontal or a vertical axis in an opening'in a fixed shield, the

mounting being provided with an elongated aperture through which the barrel of the gun protrudes and which allows movement of the gun for training, or elevating as the case may be, the mounting toward the rear being shaped so that it fits closely around the gun barrel during its movement relatively to the mounting; also it has been proposed to form or fit to a gun a ball capable of movement within asocket secured to the wall of the structure within which the gun is placed, the ball having athrough opening for a sighting telescope.

A combined gun mounting and protective shield according to this invention is characterized by a spherical or part spherical member which is mounted in a universal manner within an enveloping aperture in the structure carrying the gun, and is provided With an internal bore into or from which the gun can be inserted or Withdrawn as desired and which embraces as closely as possible the gun barrel when in its working position so as to prevent any relative training or elevating between the gun barrel and the mounting, the spherical member being providedwith a through aperture for sighting, arranged so that the line of sight moves always in the same relative position with respect to the longitudinal and transverse axis of the gun, during all movements of the gun for training or elevation, 30 that the spherically shaped member, the gun, and the line of sight always move simultaneously together while keeping the same relative positions during any longitudinal and t ansverse tilt of the structure carrying the gun, and during sighting, training and elevation of the gun. This construction provides for the gun being brought or retained with its horizontal and vertical axis in the horizontal and vertical positions respectively, however the structure may be tilted longitudinally or transversely within the predetermined Working limits, so that the normal operations for sighting, training and elevation can be performed and a horizontal field of fire obtained under the working conditions without the use of gearing, balance weights, and like additional parts to the gun for a mounting having the characteristic features above described, a shutter or like closing device which can be inserted and secured from the interior to close the opening.

In the construction preferred for armed or armoured vehicles such as those employed in overcoming defence works employed in trench or other land warfare, the virtual center about which training and elevation of the gun takes place is arranged to be at the center of the mounting and also at the center of the enveloping aperture or port for the gun, so that the maximum field of sighting and of fire can be obtained for a given size of aperture, without at any time varying the size of the through opening of the mounting.

The accompanying drawings illustrate two constructions embodying this invention. In Figures 1 to 7 which illustrate one contion of the arrow in Figure 1, Figure 3 is a sectional elevation with the gun removed and the closing shutter secured in position. Figure 4 is a sectional plan with the gun removed, Figure 5 .is an elevation of a shut-' ter as it a pears from the outside when in position, igure 6 is an elevation of the securing devlce for the shutter and l igure '7' is a detail view illustrating how a gun having the force of recoil small, may be r mounted in a readily removable manner in the mounting.

In Figures 8 to 11 which illustrate another construction, Figure 8 is an elevation, Figure 9 an elevation looking in the direction of thearrow in Figure 8, Figure 10 is a plan and Figure 11 apart sectional elevation of a form of shutter suitable for the construction of mounting.

Referring now to Figures 1 to 7 1 is the plating or bulkhead of the vehicle or stationary structure, provided with an aperture or gun port 1;'2, 2 are plates or rings secured to the port 1 and shaped to provide a substantially spherically shaped aperture. The mounting 3 for the gun 4 is provided with a spherical part ofapproximately the same radius as the aperture, due allowance being made for the necessary clearance between these two parts. The interior of the mountingis shaped to conform as closely as pos sible with the contour of the gun barrel at the working position.

In cases where the gun is to be removable while the vehicle or other structure is in action, so that the gun is slid into or out of position, it may be necessary to provide the aperture in the mounting at the forward end through which the gun projects, with one or more enlargements, to allow enlarged parts of or fittings on the forward end of the barrel to pass through, for example, the gas cylinders on the outside of the barrel on certain types of machine guns. In such an arrangement one of the enlargements or a portion\ thereof is preferably used to constitute th sighting aperture the remaining openings of the enlargements being, closed either by suitable parts or fittings on the gun or by a closing plate arranged to fit within or adjacent to the rear end of the mounting. In the arrangement shown in Figures 1 to 6 such enlargements are shown above and below the gun barrel. In this case the upper enlargement 3 is used for the sighting aperture, while the lower enlargement 3 is closed when the gun is in the working position by a suitable fitting (not shown) secured to the barrel or to the mounting.

As shown in Figure 1 the gun in its working position engages against a shoulder 3' near the inner end of the mounting, a pivoted stop 5 being provided at the rear of the mounting which is turned to engage over a band or shoulder 6 on the barrel to prevent the gun being accidentally withdrawn or rearwardly displaced by the recoil. This stop is turned as shown in broken lines in Figure 1 when the gun is to be withdrawn, after which it takes up the position shown in Figure 3.

It will be obvious that when the gun is in position in the mounting its horizontal and vertical axis can be brought to the horizontal or vertical respectively whatever the longitudinal or transverse inclination of the structure carrying the gun may be, so that the ordinary operations for elevating and training of the gun can be performed and the sighting line through the upper aperture kept fixed relatively to the longitudinal axis of the gun, the mounting rolling within the enveloping aperture similarly to a ball in a ball and socket joint, the only through opening exposing the personnel working the gun, to danger from the outside, being the sighting aperture.

If desired the mounting 3 may be arranged to be revolved through the required angular amount, after the gun has been removed, in order that the opening in the structure may be closed by a solid part of the spherical mounting. If this is not possible or not desired, a shutter 7 is provided of suitable resistant material and having such external form as to be a close fit at the forward end of the opening (in the.

projections such as 7, 7 2 to fill up the enlargements of the central bore of the mounting hereinbefore' referred to; said pr0jections also assist the guiding of the shutter in position, as it is being inserted in place from the interior of the structure. Projecting inwardly from the shutter is a bolt or stud 8 on which is rotatably mounted a disk 9 provided with one or more" locking'proj ections 9 and a handle 9 which when operated to rotate the disk causes the locking projections to engage in slots or grooves 3 .in the' mounting.

Referring now to Figure 7 for'machine and other guns having the force of recoil very small, the mounting 3 may be provided with a right-angled slot 10 so as to allow studs, or pins or trunnions on the gun to engage in a horizontal part of the slot when the gun is being inserted in the mounting and thendropped into the vertical part, the operations of sighting trainin and elevatin the gun being performed as a ove describe Referring now to Figures 8 to 11 a construction is shown inwhich vertical trunnions are provided for, the gun, which is arranged to slide into and out of position in the mounting. Thegun 4 is supported in a clamping r1ng 11 having a clamping band 11' readily removable such as by withdrawal of one or both securing pins 11 according as to whether the band is pivoted or com-- pletely removable. The clamping ring is carried by a bracket 12 secured to a spherically shaped shield-13 mounted within a gun port or other enveloping aperture formed in the structure carrying the gun, and the ring or bracket is provided with trunnions l4 engaging in bearings in a fork 15 mounted to rotate about a vertical axis by means of a stud 15 engaging in a step or other bearing secured to the structure such as directly or indirectly to the plates 1 or 2. The trunnions are retained in position in the hearing by hinged or pivoted caps 15 secured in position by wing bolts 16. The shield 13 is shown as slightly exceeding the hemisphere, and is provided with a sighting aperture 17. It will thus be seen that when the gun is in position, the gun and the shield can be moved in a universal manner about the horizontal trunnion axis and about the vertical axis of the forked pivot, the line of sight through the aperture being always fixedrelatively to the longitudinal axis of the gun.

By removing the clamping band 11 the gun can be withdrawn and by removing the wing bolts 16 and turning back the caps 15 the shield can be remove i In order to close the opening in the shield when the gun is removed a shutter in the form shown in Figure 11 is provided which consists of a spherically shaped portion 18 of sufficient area to cover the whole of the aperture in the shield and is carried by a tubular or other shaped member 18' provided with a shouldered recess 18 or the like over which the clamping band 11 can be placed to secure the shutter in position, so that the shutter and shield move about the same center.

Combined mountings and shields with or without shutters as above described provide for an armoured or armed vehicle or other movable or stationary structure being fitted with a large number of gun positions without the necessity of having a gun mounted permanently in each, as the guns may be dismounted from one position and remounted either in another position in the structure or outside the structure if desired such as when engaged in land warfare, thereby enabling a minimum number of guns to be carried and their. most effective use obtained, without leaving openings in the structure through which the personnel inside would be exposed to counter attack, the openings being closed either by rotating the mountings to bring a solid part in register with the opening, or by securing the shutters as above described after removal of the guns.

We would here state that the expression spherically shaped member used in the ensuing claiming clauses is intended to include a member of spherical or partly spherical shape.

What we claim and desire to secure, by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. In a gun mounting, the combination with the gun and the structure carrying it, of a spherically shaped member mounted in a universal manner in an enveloping aperture in said structure and provided with a through aperture for sighting and with a bore into or from which the gun can be inserted or withdrawn at will and which embraces the gun so that no relative training or elevating movement can occur between the gun and said member, this member, its sighting aperture and the gun being always movable together and keeping the same relative positions, and means for detachably holding the gun in position, comprising an element that engages with a projection on the gun only when the gun is in firing position, said element serving also to prevent backward movement on firing.

2. In a gun mounting, the combination with the gun and the structure carrying it, of a spherically shaped member mounted in a universal manner in an enveloping aperture in said structure and provided with a through aperture for sighting and with a bore into or from which the gun can be inserted or withdrawn at will and Which embraces the gun so that no relative training or elevating movement can occur be- 100 tween the gun and said member, this member, its sighting aperture and the gun being always movable together and keeping the same relative positions, and a shoulder 1n said bore for engaging with a shoulder on 05 the gun only when the gun is in firing position for holding the latter against rearward movement.

3. In a gun mounting, the combination with the gun and the structure carrying 1 0 it, of a spherically shaped member mountedin a universal manner in an enveloping aperture in said structure and provided with a through aperture for sighting and with a bore into or from 115 which the gun can be inserted or w1thdrawn at will and which embraces the gun so that no relative training or elevating movement can occur between the gun and said member, this member, its sighting aper- 120 ture and the gun being always movable together and keeping the same relative pos tions, and a member pivoted to sa1d spher1- cally shaped member for engaging w1th part of the gun to prevent unintent onal rear- 125 ward movement of the latter, said member adapted to engage with t he gun only when the gun is in firing position. f

4. In a gun mounting, the combination with the gun and the structure carrylng 1t, 130

of a spherically shaped member mounted in a universal manner in an enveloping aperture in said structure and provided with a through aperture for sighting and with a bore into or from which the gun can be inserted or withdrawn at will and which embraces the gun so that no relative training or elevating movement can occur between the gun and said' member, this member, its sighting aperture and the gun being always movable together and keeping the samerelati've positions, the bore of said member being provided with a bayonet slot for receiving a projection carried by the gun, the engagement of the projection in. the bayonet slot determining the firing position of the gun.

5. In a gun mounting, the combination with the gun and the structure carrying it, of a spherically shaped member mounted in a universal manner in an enveloping aper-. ture in said structure and provided with a through aperture for sighting and with a bore into or from which the gun can be inserted or withdrawn'at will and which embraces the gun so that no relative training or elevating movement can occur between the gun and said member, this member, its sighting aperture and the gun being always movable together and keeping the same relative positions, means for detachably holding the gun in position, comprising an element that engages with a projection on the gun only when the gun is in firing position, said element serving also to prevent backward movement on firing, and means forming part of said member whereby when the gun has been removed the enveloping aperture can be completely closed by angularly displacing said member.

1 6. In a gun mounting, the combination with the gun and the structure carrying it, of a spherically shaped member mounted in a universal manner in an enveloping aperturein said structure and provided with a through aperture for sighting and with a bore into or from which the gun can be inserted or withdrawn at will and which embraces the gunso that no relative training or elevating movement can occur between the gun and said member, this member, its sighting aperture and the gun being always movable together and keeplng the same relative positions, means for detachably holding the gun in position, comprising an element that engages with a projection on the gun only when the gun is in firing position, said element serving also to prevent backward movement on firing, and a shutter for closing said bore when the gun has been removed.

7. In a gun mounting, the combination with the gun and the structure carrying it, of a spherically shaped member mounted in a universal manner in an enveloping aperture in said structure and provided with a through aperture for sighting and' with a bore into or from which the gun can be inserted or withdrawn at will and which embraces the gun so that no relative training or elevating movement can occur between the gun and said member, this member, its sighting aperture and the gun being always movable together and keeping the same relative positions, means for engaging with a projection on the gun when the gun is in firing position for holding the latter in placein said bore, a shutter for closing the forward end of said borewhen the gun has been removed and a locking member carried by said shutter for holding the latter in its closed position.

8. In a gun mounting, the combination with the gun and the structure carrying it,

of a spherically shaped member mounted in a universal manner in an envelopingv aperture in said structure and providedwith a through aperture for sighting and with a bore into or from which the gun can be inward end of said bore when the gun has been removed, and a locking disc rotatably carried by said shutter and provided with projections for engaging with grooves in said bore to hold the shutter in its closed position.

In testimony whereof, we afiix our signa-l tures.

EUSTACE HENRY TENNYSON dEYNCOURT. FREDERICK SKEENS. 

